Bottle capper



2, 1931., H, G, RICE ,805,295

BQTTLE CAPPER Filed Jan. 14. 1929 Mfmy 'Patented May. 12,- 1931 HAROLD G. BJZCE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS BOTTLE CAPPER Application med January 14, 19219. Serial No. 332,299.

This invention relates to bottle cappers and Jmore particularly to that type comprising an "upright'frame or standard having a base for 'supporting and anchoring thedevice on and f to a` bench or other support to receive the bottles to be capped thereonfthe upper .end lportion of the frame or standard overhang- 'ing the base-fthat is, being curved orV extendv ed'forwardly'and having a vertical guideway receiving for vertical reciprocation therein, the shank of a plunger formed with a' 'rack bar and carrying a capping head at its lower end and also having an axially horiv zontal pin'lm engaging the teeth of the rack bar, and a handle for rotating the pinion.

.A principal object of the invention is to provide novel means for releasing the pinion from operative engagement with the4 rack bar to permit the plunger and capping head to 2 slide free thereof, so that the plunger and the handle may both be readily adjusted to proper capping position according to the height of the bottle to bev cappedr With the above and other objects-in view, the invention consists in certain novel structure and arrangement of 4parts to be heroine after more particularly specified and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings M1 Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my novel.

- bottle capper. s Fig. 2 is an enlarged4 fragmentary front elevation of the upper portion ofthe cap-` er. v

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 4. Fig. 4 is a sectional view horizontally on the line 1s-4 of Figure' 3, and f Fig. 5.is an elevation of the operating shaft with a pinion formed thereon..v

Referring'to the drawings in detail, the capper is shown as comprising a base 6 having as part of its frame an upright standard 7, thevupper portionof which is curved or extended forwardly as at 8 to overhang the base 6. While the base and upright are shown formed of cast metal, it is to he understood that the same may be constructed in vany suitable manner-of sheet metal or otherwise. The base has suitable apertures a at the forward corners and apertures 10 on each side of the upright or Vstandard 7 to anchor the device to a bench or other support and the bottles 11 are adapted to besupported upon a ribbed cushion 12 of rubber or the 55 like suitably anchored to the base.

The upright or standard 7 is' substantially T-shaped in' cross section but may be of other suitable section and referably tapers to its upper end where it 1s formed with a 60 sleeve-like boss or enlargenient 13 in one en'd of which there is bored an axially horizontal cylinder opening 14 terminated by the opposite end wall 15 which is bored out to form a bearing or opening of reduced size co-axial with the bore 14.

A vertical guideway 16 is arranged with its 'opening communicating'with the bore 14;

and in such a manner that its axis is directly over the center point of the cushion 12 on the 70 base 6, although this is not absolutely essential. The sleeve or guideway v16 receives for vertical reciprocation therein the shank portion of a plunger 17 formed with a rack bar 18 along its inner edge but terminating short 75 of the upper end of the plunger as well as short of the lower end thereof as indicated at 19 and 20 to provide shoulders or stops to limit the reciprocation of the plunger as will be more fully described. The lower end of the plunger carries a capping head 21 having a cushion washer 22 mounted therein as usual. This capping headis secured against the shoulder formed at the bottom of the plunger by means of a reduced portion 23' which extends'through an axial opening in the top or end Wall of the capping head and is then riveted or upset as indicated at 24 to'secure the capping head in position.

A shaft25 fits the bore ofthe horizontal sleeve'13 and hasta reduced end portion 26 which fits and extends through the opening of the end wall 15 whilethe shaft proper eX- tends through the enlarged opening 14, thus permitting the shaft to be inserted vin position in assembling the parts. The shaft 25 is milled as indicated at 27 to provide a pin- Yion intermediately adapted to mesh with'the teeth of the rack bar 18 and in order to hold the parts in this position1 a compression coil 100 spring 28 is mounted on the reduced extension 26 of the shaft 25 and between the end wall l5 and nut 29 on the end of the shaft so as to normally force the shaft to the full line positions shown in the drawings and more particularly in Figures 2 and 4. In this 4position of the shaft 25, the end wall 15,

against which the annular shoulder formed by the ends of the pinion teeth engages, constitutes means for limiting the sliding movement of the shaft and its pinion under the influence of the spring, thereby to normally maintain the pinion in mesh with the rack bar. However, vthe pinion may be disengaged from the teeth of the rack bar by shifting the shaft either by pressure on the nut 29 or otherwise, as indicated in dotted lines in Figures 2 and 4 so that the plunger and capping head may be quickly and easily adjusted so that the capping head will be accommodated to bottles of different heights, as disclosed in Figure 1.

A handle 3G is mounted on the shaft 25 for rotating the latter to reciprocatethe plunger and capping head during the capping operation. Obviously, by rotating the shaft in one direction the capping head will be raised and b rotating the shaft in the opposite direction, the capping head will be lowered for applying a'cap. Considerable pressure may be brought to bear in the capping operation due to the leverage produced by this construction.

It will also be apparent that when the plunger and capping head are elevated the movement will be limited by engagement of the ,shoulder 20 with the teeth of the pinion 27 and in the opposite direction, the lowering of the rack bar and capping head will be limited by engagement of the shoulder 19 with the teeth of the pinion 27, thus preventing displacement of the plunger from its sleeve 16. In addition, although the shaft 25 is shifted so that the teeth of the pinion 27 are displaced laterally out oft-he path of the teeth of the rack bar 18, yet the shoulders 19 and 20 will prevent displacement of the.v

plunger by engagement with the reduced ortion 26. The lnnoer cannot be removed from its sleeve unless the shaft 25 Yis entirely removed from its bearing sleeve 13 after removal of the enlargement or nut 29.

It should be noted'from Figure 4 that, while the portion l26 ofthe shaft 25 is Sulliciently reduced in diameter to permit free sliding movement of the plunger 17 along its longitudinal axis when the shaft 1s shifted to the dotted position shown in Figure 4,

` this portion is not small enough in diameter to permit rotation of the plunger 17 about its axis, but serves as an effective stop to prevent such rotation.

While I haveshown and described my invention in a preferred form, I am aware that nsoaaes various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the principles of the invention, the scope of which may be determined by reference to the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A bottle capper comprising a base having an u right with an overhangin upper portion, aving a horizontal sleeve with a reduced bore at one end and a vertical sleeve communicating therewith, a plunger in the vertical sleeve` having a rack bar with shoulders at the ends -thereof and a cappin head at its lower end, a shaft in the horizontal sleeve having a reduced end engaging the reduced bore and having a pinioninterm'ediately adjacent the reduced portion, a spring on the reduced portion engaging the end wall of the horizontal sleeve at its reduced bore, an enlargement-onthe reduced end of the shaft whereby the spring holds the shaft in position` with the pinion engaging the rack bar but adapted to permit said shaft to be displaced to disengage the pinion from the rack bar whereby the plunger may be adjusted vertically independent of the shaft, and a handle on the shaft for actuating the same.

2. In a device of the class described and in combination, a frame having a horizontal sleeve and a vertical sleeve with communicating bores, a shaft rotatable in said horizontal sleeve and having operating means thereon, said shaft having pinion teeth and being reduced in diameter adjacent said teeth, a plunger reciprocable in said vertical sleeve and having rack teeth thereon engageable withsaid pinion, means normally retaining said pinion in engagement with said rack and permitting disengagement thereof while retaining said shaft in its sleeve, and means on said plunger abutting against the reduced portion of said shaft when the pinion is operatively disengaged from said plunger for preventmg withdrawal of said plunger from its sleeve. v

3. In a device of the class described and in combination, a frame comprising a base portion and a vertical overhanging guide portion and having a transverse opening constituting a bearing adjacent said guide portion, a capping plunger slidably mounted in saidv guide portion and having rack teeth formed thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing and having a pinion formed thereon adapted to co-operate with said rack for reciprocating the same, said shaft being reduced in diameter adjacent said pinion and having an endwise displacement within said bearing sufficient to disengage the pinion from the Vrack teeth of the plunger, means :for rotating the shaft, and means normally maintaining said pinion in operative engagement with said rack and also permitting said shaft to be axially displaced a distance equal quick endwise adjustment. v

- to the width of said pinion to bring the reduced portion of the shaft across'the plunger, whereby the pinion maybe disengaged from the rack teeth and the plunger freed for 4. In a device'of the class described and in combination, a frame comprising a base por- ,tion andvertical overhanging guide portion and having a transverse opening constituting a bearingv adjacent said guideportion, a ca ping .plunger slidably mounted in said gui e portion and having rack teeth formed thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearin and having a lpinion formed thereon adapted to co-operate with said` rack for reciprocating the same, said shaft being reduced in diameter adjacent said pinion and-.having an endwise displacement within said bearing suicient to disengagethe pinion from the rack teeth of the plunger, means for rotating'\said shaft, and means normally maintaining said shaft at one endwisevlimit withsaid pinionin operative ,engagement with said plunger, said last-named means also permitting said shaft to be axially displaced to bring the reduced portion of the 'shaft across the plunger thereby withdrawing said pinion ifrom engagement with said rack and'- thus freeing the plunger for quick longitudinal adjustment.l

5. In a device ofthe class described and in combination, a frame comprising a `base portion and a verticaloverhanging guide portion having a transverse opening therein constituting a bearing, a capping plunger slidpinion formed. "thereon, adapted to 'cooperate with said' rack for reciprocating the same, said shaft being reduced in dia "eter adjacent said pinion and havin an end 'se displacement within said bearing suiiicent to disenably mounted in said guide portion and havy ing rack teeth formed thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in saidbearing and having a:

A gage the pinion from the rack teeth of the' plunger, means for rotating said shaft, and resilient lmeans.l normally maintaining the shaft at4 one endwise limit with'said pinion in operative engagement with said rack and permitting-'axial'displacement of said shaft for withdrawing said pinion from engagemaybe quickly adjust ed longitudinally. l6. Ina device of thecla'ss described and in tion and a vertical overhanging guide phorstituting Ya bearing, a capping plungerslidi ably mounted in said guide portion and having rack teeth formed thereon, a shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing and havingfa with said rack for re'cprocating the'same, said shaft being reduced in diameter adjacent said pinion and having an endwise disment with said rack and f or moving the fre-` A duced portion of the shaft across the plunger; whereby said plunger portion and a. vertical overhangi .portion andhaving a pair-.of s ace axially combination, a frame comprising a base portion having a transversefopenlngtherein con pinion formed thereon adapted to co-operate taining said shaft at one endwise limit with j said pinion in operative Iengagement with' said rack, said shaft being axially displaceable against the resilient action of said spring for a distance equal to the width of said pinion, whereby the plunger will be freed for quick longitudinal adjustment.

7. In a bottle ca per, the combination of a base provided wit a standard rising therefrom, a rack bar slidable vertically in said standard and rovided at its lower end with a cap ing hea over said base, an axially hori.-

zon/ta pinion rotatablysupported in the upper portion of said standard and having its teeth normally engaging the teeth of the rack bar, said inion being also slidably supported in'sai standard and shiftableiaxially on its support and out of mesh with the rack bar, a spring for forcing the inion into mesh vwith the racky bar, means or limiting the sliding movement ofthe pinion so that the slplring will normally maintain it in mesh with t e rack bar, and a handle connected toA said pinion for rotating the latter.

8. In a bottle capper, the combination of a base provided with a standard rising therefrom, an. axially horizontal pinion rotatably supported in the upper portion of said standard, a rack bar sli able vertically .insaid standard and provided at its lowerend with a capping head over said base,an

extension on one sldeof and integral with said pinion constituting a trunnion for the pinion rotatable in the standard and slidably supporting the pinion in the standard so that the pinion may be shifted axially in itsv support on the standard a distance substantially equal to the width of the operative face" of the pinion, a spring for normally urging the pinion axially into mesh with the rack bar, means for limiting the sliding movement of the pinion, "and a handle connected to said pinion l'for rotating the latter. 9. In a device ofthe class described and inL combination, a frame comprising a' base guide orizontahbearing apertures o different d1- ameters adjacent-'said guide portion, a ca pingmember vertically slidable in said Ai e portion 'and having rack teeth formed t ere-I lon, -a shaft having ta'unnions ofdiierent. di-

ouinaled lin and extendbearings and having a' 'disengage the pinion from vthe rack teeth of the plunger, and a compression spring surrounding said smaller trunnion extension, and serving to maintain said pinion in operu ative eg'agement with the rack` While permitting a suiicient sliding movement of the pinion to unmesh same from the rack so as to permit free sliding movement of the capping member.

10. In a device ofthe class described .and in combination, a frame comprising a base portion and vertical over-hanging guide portion and having a transverse opening constituting a bearing adjacent said guide portion, a capping plunger slidably mounted .in said guide portion and having rack teeth formed thereon, ha shaft rotatably mounted in said bearing and having a pinion formed thereon adapted to co-operate with said rack for reciprocating the same, said shaft being reduced in diameter adjacent said pinion and having an endwise displacement Within said bearing .sufficient to disengage the pinion from the rack teeth of the plunger and in substantially an'y angular position of the pinion, means for rotatin said shaft, and means normally maintaining said shaft'at one endwise limit with said pinion in operati've engagement with said plunger, gsaid' last-named means also permitting said shaft to be axially displaced to bringv the reduced portion of the shaft across the plunger therebywithdravving said pinion from engagement with said rack and thus freeing the 85 plunger for `quick longitudinal adjustment.

HAROLD e. RICE. 

